The present invention relates to a switch system for an automotive vehicle which is used for controlling, from a driver's compartment, various pieces of equipment such as a radio, an air conditioner, a road-condition and traffic-information displaying device mounted on the vehicle.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-67516 discloses a typical example of such a switch system for an automotive vehicle as illustrated in FIG. 18. The vehicle illustrated includes a steering wheel 102 mounted on the top of a steering column 144 for operation by a driver 101, an instrument panel 103, an instrument panel hood 107, and a front windshield 108. A switch means 139 is installed on the steering column 144. A driver's sight line through the front windshield 108 and another driver's sight line directed to the instrument panel 103 are designated by reference numerals 109 and 140, respectively.
FIG. 19 shows one example of a display pattern 141 on the instrument panel 103 which includes four functions of television (TV), navigation (NAVI), audio (AUDIO) and air conditioning (A/C) designated by 0 through 3, respectively, with the function 1 of navigation "NAVI" being now selected.
FIG. 20 shows an example of the switch means 139 which has a pair of side switch columns 145, 146 mounted on opposite sides of the steering columns 144 and extending therefrom in a horizontal manner, a pair of rotary switches 142, 143 mounted on the ends of the side switch columns 145, 146, respectively, and a pair of set switches 147, 148 provided on the heads or tops of the rotary switches 142, 143, respectively.
In operation, the functions of the set switches 147, 148 are indicated by the display pattern 141 and can be selected by the driver 101 by rotating the rotary switches 142, 143. By pushing one of the set switches 147, 148 with a desired function selected by a corresponding one of the rotary switches 142, 143, a switching operation for performing the selected function in done. For example, if the driver 101 depresses one of the set switches 147, 148 with a particular display condition of the instrument panel 103 (e.g., "NAVI" selected as illustrated in FIG. 19), the corresponding function or device (e.g., an unillustrated navigator) is turned on. In this manner, using the above-described switch system, the driver 101 is able to control various pieces of equipment provided in the vehicle by only slightly shifting his or her sight line from the outward line of sight 109 suitable for looking at the road or objects ahead of the vehicle through the front windshield 108 into the inward line of sight 140 directed toward the instrument panel 103 while continuously watching the road condition ahead of the vehicle to some extent. This serves for improved safety in driving.
With the above-mentioned automotive switch system, however, the functions carried out by depressing the set switch 147, 148 is displayed inside the instrument panel 103 so that the driver 101 has to shift his or her sight line to the instrument panel 103 to some extent in order to ascertain the functions to be performed in accordance with the setting of the set switches 147, 148. This results in an appreciable deviation from the outwardly directed line of sight 109 through the front windshield 108 necessary for safe driving, thus reducing or limiting the driver's field of forward view to some extent.